The Free and Easy Way to Block Malicious Software

Even the best antivirus and antispyware products cannot help users block or unblock offensive or unwanted websites. The solutions that exist that may help users to block unwanted or offensive websites usually cost or require an annual subscription to be purchased. For many users this is not an option. This article will help you learn that it is easy to block and unblock websites without purchasing annual subscriptions or additional software.

This method involves a file that already exists on your computer. It is called the “hosts” file. The “hosts” file actually resides on almost every operating system including Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix, and Solaris. The “hosts” file has existed on computers since the early days of the Internet. It was used to direct users to other computers using more user friendly names than the address of the other computer. Now, the “hosts” file is seldom used for those purposes, however many users are using the hosts file to prohibit or block users from being able to access unwanted or offensive sites.

For Windows XP systems and newer, the “hosts” file is located at C:Windowssystem32driversetchosts. Windows NT/2000 systems use C:WINNTsystem32driversetc. Windows 95/98/ME users use C:Windows. Now open “My Computer”, C: drive, Windows directory, and drill down to where the hosts file is located. Double-click the file and Windows will ask you how you want to open the file. Choose “Notepad” and proceed with opening the file. (Some operating systems and computer virus protection products block these types of files from being changed without an administrator’s permission, so you may have to get the administrator’s permission before moving on.)

When you open the “hosts” file you will notice the line at the bottom: 127.0.0.1 localhost. 127.0.0.1 is the internal IP address of your computer. “Localhost” is another name for your computer. Do not change this entry! Let’s say for example you want to block www.google.com. Now with the “hosts” file still open in Notepad enter this right below the 127.0.0.1 line: 127.0.0.1 www.google.com

Now save the file. Windows will ask you what name to save the file and in the “File Name” box make sure it says “hosts” without quotes and no other text. In the “File Type” field make sure you choose “All Files”, then click “Save”. Windows should warn you that the hosts file already exists, Do You Want To Replace It?. Click “Yes”. Now you can close the file. Make sure the file is not saved as “hosts.txt”, this will not work. The file must be named “hosts” and in the directory C:WindowsSystem32DriversEtc.

Next, you have to make these changes effective. If you have Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server, 2008 Server, Vista, or 7, then go to “Start, [All] Programs, Accessories, Right-click “Command Prompt” and select “Run as administrator”. Then your command line should display. At the command prompt type (without quotes or comma) tskill explorer, then Enter. You will notice your desktop icons will flash off and back on, but this is just your desktop resetting itself. Now you can close your command line. Now open your browser (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, or Safari) and type in the address bar www.google.com. What to you see? You shouldn’t see Google.

Before we proceed, let’s reverse the changes we made earlier so that we don’t forget. To reverse these changes, go back to your “hosts” file in Notepad. “File”, “Open”, C:windowssystem32drivershosts, make sure file type is selected to “All files” or you will not see the “hosts” file, “Open”. Now that you have the “hosts” file open then edit out the last line 127.0.0.1 www.google.com, and save the file. Make sure that the file is saved as “hosts” and NOT saved as “hosts.txt”!

You may want to block other types of offensive sites such as porn, pop-ups, spyware, trojan downloaders and dialers, ad trackers, etc. There have been a number of others who have compiled their own lists of offensive sites and have made their lists available to download for free. Some of these are www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm, http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/, and http://www.hosts-file.net/?s=Download. To apply these to your computer simply follow their download link and apply their hosts file to your system following the instructions above. Beware that many of the sites listed in those hosts files WILL INFECT your computer if you visit them without this populated hosts file installed according to the instructions above. DO NOT visit these sites if you want to avoid malicious software.

The hosts file can block sites but can also provide that extra layer of protection against unwanted, offensive, or malicious sites. What about being protected when your antivirus is disabled or expired? Here are two examples where the hosts file cannot stop the intrusion from coming in but can stop or slow down the malicious software from going out. For example, if a trojan comes through and does land on a system, and if the returning site is listed in the hosts file, then the trojan or spyware in question will not have the damaging power it would have had because it is actually reporting “nowhere” (127.0.0.1). This is the way that computer spyware, malware, trojans, and other offensive software are stopped in their tracks. But understand that the populated hosts file is not meant to replace your computer virus protection product, but it is meant to work to complement your software.

This article has provided you a free and easy way to block offensive and unwanted Internet sites. Even the best computer virus protection products are 100% foolproof, however installing a populated “hosts” file would be an additional (and free) level of protection to help protect yourself from unwanted websites and malicious software.

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